Thank you for you continues support and patience as the Mariemont City School District prepares for start of 2020-21 school year.
We will provide this RESTART Update on a regular basis to keep you as informed as possible. Additionally you can check the RESTART webpage on the district’s website for the most up-to-date information.
Many of you have asked when the district will make its decision on how school will open on August 31, following the three phase-in days on August 26, 27 and 28. As of now, the district plans to make this determination on Thursday, Aug. 20. Between now and then, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 data in both Hamilton County and our local region and the evolving health guidance. We also will be watching how things go in school districts that are opening for the school year ahead of us. All of this information will be used to make the best decision in the interest of the health and safety of our students and staff and the learning experience we all want for our children.
As you know, the district’s RESTART plan is intentionally designed to be responsive to the latest COVID-19 conditions and heath guidance using a three-tier model. It is our hope that there will not be frequent shifts from one tier to another during the school year as we recognize the importance of consistency and the challenge this creates for families. However, we will need to be responsive to conditions and significant change in the data available to us throughout the 2020-21 school year.
Also on August 20, high school and junior high student schedules and elementary class assignments will be released. Blue/Gold assignments will also be released on the 20th.
Mariemont City Schools will host a virtual parent information meeting for anyone interested in learning more about the Online Warriors remote learning program. Parents and guardians can join us on Zoom on Monday, August 10, at 7:00 p.m. by using the login information below.
Topic: Online Warriors Information Session
Time: Aug 10, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91986323256?pwd=VENaREM3Y0ljaWxBOTNXS0pzVktyQT09
Meeting ID: 919 8632 3256
Passcode: RESTART
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,91986323256# US (Germantown)
+13126266799,,91986323256# US (Chicago)
We have been receiving questions about Online Warriors, so here are few additional FAQs that you might find helpful:
1. Why is the registration deadline for Online Warriors on August 12, prior to the school district’s decision of how school will open?
Class sections and assignments, teacher schedules/staffing and student schedules all have to be developed based on the number of students we know will be participating in Online Warriors versus in-person instruction. Doing all of this takes time which is why we have established the August 12 date to be prepared for the first day of school.
Additionally, how we announce school is opening really should not influence the decision of choosing the virtual option or not because a parent choosing in-person instruction must be comfortable with the possibility that we will likely be in all three tiers at some point as we navigate this pandemic throughout the school year. For example, if we were to open in Tier 2, that does not mean we would never find ourselves in Tier 1 or Tier 3 as COVID-19 conditions change.
2. Will I be able to opt my child into Online Warriors after August 12 and/or during the school year?
Completing your online warriors registration by the end of the day on August 12 is the only way to guarantee you will be able to participate in this option. Staffing and available courses will be developed based on the registration information the district has at the deadline, therefore a student will only be able to opt in to Online Warriors after August 12 if space and/or courses are available.
3. Why do I have to commit to an entire semester of online warriors?
Class sections and assignments, teacher schedules and staffing will be developed based on the number of students who we know will be participating in in-person instruction and the number of students who we know will be participating in Online Warriors. In order to do this as efficiently and safely as possible, we need to have consistent participation in both settings for a full semester.
Additionally, different curriculum materials and activities compatible with online learning may be used in Online Warriors making a transition back to the regular classroom during the semester difficult.
4. Can students in Online Warriors participate in extracurricular activities and athletics?
Yes. Students in Online Warriors are eligible to participate in school district extracurricular activities and athletics. However, students participating in Online Warriors should be doing so because they are unable or uncomfortabl participating in in-person instruction; therefore, it likely does not make sense that these students participate in extracurricular activities and athletics.